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While the cattle industry continues to refine preventive measures, treatments and overall management, feedlot morbidity, mortality and costs associated with bovine respiratory disease (BRD) stubbornly refuse to improve.

In a head-scratching week of data, estimated cattle slaughter was 9,000 head higher following the Tyson fire, cattle prices were down 5% or more, and yet wholesale beef prices rose 9%.

Packers were hesitant to offer a bid on cattle early last week, and after a $5 decline, feeders still have many unanswered questions about the impact of harvest capacity.

We can’t bet the farm on technological updates, but we can invest in doing the right thing, in technology that tracks and proves we are doing the right thing.

So far this summer, the USDA has confirmed vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) on premises in six states.

Assessing the risk of cattle needing treatment for bovine respiratory disease (BRD) requires consideration of far more than exposure to patahogens.

While researchers and the industry work to develop systems to better prevent BRD, timely treatments with antibiotics will remain a critical tool for minimizing losses associated with morbidity.

The most recent FDA figures show substantial drops in medically important antibiotics sales and distribution in all U.S. food animal production. Cattle feeders say the facts leave nothing to hide.

South Dakota cattleman Martin F. Jorgensen, Jr. was a pioneer in the development of innovative management practices and the implementation of new technologies.

We need to better address all three components of the disease triad.